Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1887-06-18


John, too, was astonished and, to tell the
truth, not little disguised. Since the pre-
vious day, when he had that talk with her In
Lion Kloof, jess had assumed clearer and
more difinite interest in his eyes. Before that
she had been an enigma: now he had guessed
enough about her to make him anxious to
know more. Indeed, be had not perhaps
realized how strong and definite his interest
was till he heard that she was going away
for a long period, Suddenly it struck him
that the farm would be very dull without
this interesting woman moving about the
place in her silent, resolute kind Of way.
Bessie was, no doubt, delightful and charm
ing to look on, but she had not got her sis
ter's brains and originality; and John Mel
was sufficiently a above the ordinary run to thor
oughly appreciate intellect and originality in
woman, instead of standing aghast at it. She
interested him intensely, to say the least of it,
and, manlike, he felt exceedingly put out,
and even sulky, at the idea of her departure
He looked at her in remonstrance, and even,
in awkwardness begotten of his irritation,
knocked down the vinegar cruet and made
mess upon the table; but she evaded his eyes
and took no notice Of the vinegar. Then,
feeling that he had done all that in him lay,
he went to see about the ostriches; first of all,
hanging about a little to see if jess would
come out, which she did not. Indeed, he saw
nothing more of her till supper time. Bessie
told him that she said she was busy packing;
but, as one can only take twenty pounds
weight of luggage in post cart, this did not
quite convince him that it was SO in fact
At supper she was, if possible, even more
quiet than she had been at dinner After it
was over he asked her to sing, but she de-
clined, saying that she had given up singing
for the present, and persisting in her state
ment in spite of the chorus of remonstrance 1t
aroused. The birds only sing while they are
mating; and it is, by the way, curious
thing, and suggestive of the theory that the
same great principles pervade all nature, that
jess, now that her trouble hsd overtaken her,
and that she had lost her love which had sud
denly sprung from her heart-full grown and
clad in power as Athena sprung from the
head of Jove-had no further inclination to
use her divine gift of song. 1t probably was
nothing more than a coincidence, but it was
curious one.
The arrangement was that on the morrow
jess was to be driven in the Cape cart to
Martinus- Wesselstroom, more commonly
called Wakkerstroom, and there catch the
post cart, which was timed to leave the town
at midday, though when it would leave was
quite another matter. Post carts are not par
ticular TO a day or so in the TransyaaL
Old Silas Croft was going to drive her with
Bessie, who had some shopping to do in wax
kerstroom, as ladies sometimes have; but at
the last moment the old man got premonl-
tory twinge of the rheumatism, to which he
was martyr, and could not go, so, of course,
John volunteered, and, though jess raised
some difficulties, Bessie furthered the idea,
and in the end his offer was accepted.
Accordingly at $50 on beautiful morning
up came the tented cart, with its two massive
wheels, stout stinkwood disselboom, and four
spirited young horses; to the head of which
the Hottentot Jantje, assisted by the Zulu
Mouti, clad in the sweet simplicity OF
moocha, few feathers in his wool, and
horn snuff box stuck through the fieshy part
of the ear, hung grimly on. In they got
John first, then Bessie next to him, then JESS
Next Jantje scrambled up behind; and after
some preliminary backing and plunging, and
showing a disposition to twine themselves
affectionately round the orange trees, Off
went the horses at hand gallop, and away
swung the cart after them, in a fashion that
would have frightened anybody not accus-
toned to that mode of progression pretty well
out of his wits. As it was, John had as much
as he could do to keep the four horses together
and to prevent them from bolting, and this
alone, to say nothing of the rafting and
iolting of the vehicle over the uneven track
was sufficient to put a stop to any attempt at
conversation.
Wakkerstroom was about eighteen miles
| from Mooifontein, distance that they
/ covered well within the two hours. Here the
horses were outspanned at the hotel, aud John
went into the house whence the post cart wAe
| to start and booked Jess seat, and then Joined
the ladies at the "Kantoor," or store where
4 they were shopping. After the shopping was
done they went back to the inn together and
had some dinner; by which time the Hottep-
tot driver of the cart began to tune up Justify,
| but unmelodiously, on a bugle to inform IN
tending passengers tnat it was time to start
! Bessie was out of the room at the moment,
and, with the exception of a peculiarly dirty
looking coolie waiter, there was nobody
about.
"How long are you going to be away, Miss
Jess" asked John.
"Two months, more or less, Capt Mel"
~ am very sorry that you are going" he
said, earnestly. at will be very dull at the
farm without you"
"There will be Bessie for you to talk to, f"
she answered, turning her face to the win
dow and affecting to watch the inspanning
of the post cart in the yard on which it
looked.
"Capt. Mel" she said, suddenly.
"Yesp
"Mind you look after Bessie while l am
away Listen! l am going to tell you some
thing. You know Frank Mullerp
"Yes, know him, and very disagreeable
fellow he is"
"Well, he threatened Bessie the other day,
and he is man who is quite capable of car
rying out threat. can't tell you anything
more about it, but want you to promise me
to protect Bessie if any occasion for it should
arise. do not know that it will, but ii
might. WIN you promisef"
"Of course will; would do great deal
more than that if you asked me to, jess, he
answered, tenderly, for now that she was 60
ing away he felt curiously drawn toward her,
and was anxious to show it.
"Never mind me-" she said, with an impa-
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